Cigarette-package.



H. J. PINNEY.

CIGARETTE PACKAGE.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. 29.. 194?.

Patented A .r I@ mtocmegoy lltl an 4 srarus PATENT orrrca.

" HENRY r. PINNEY,'0F WORCESTER, massncnus'n rrs', ASSIGNOR 'ro' THE amnnroan TOBACCO COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. -Y., A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

oreann'rrn-raomen Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

Application filed October as, 1917. Serial No. 198,974. I 7

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l[, HENRY J. PINNEY, a

, citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cigarette- ]Packages, of which the following is a specificatio j The present invention relates to a novel cigarette package as well as to the method of dispensing or extracting the cigarettes of the package.

In the present instance I have shown my invention as applicable to cigarette pack-- ages of the flexible, pouch or cup type.- As is well known, such pouch packages usually comprise a composite sheet of tinfoil and paper foldedor wrapped about the cigarettes in such manner as to completely envelop the latter, these wrapped cigarettes being then inserted in a paper pouch or cup having a permanently open mouth at which the top wall or end of the folded wrapper is exposed. The mouth or top of such a pouch package is' usually sealed by means of the ordinary revenue stamp which is pasted across such mouth or to to maintain the adjacent folded portions 0 the wrapper in closed position.

One disadvantage incident to the ordinary form of pouch package is that it is so constructed as to necessitate the opening or unfolding of practically the entire top portion of the wrapper, after breaking the revenue stamp, to allow access to and withdrawal of cigarettes. Even after such access has been had an individual cigarette can only be removed by pinching or grasping the exposed end thereof and pulling or withdrawing the cigarette from the package. Of course the cigarettes, especially in a comparatively full package, are tightly packed, and under such conditions, in pinching or grasping the ends of a particular cigarette, the ends of the fingers and especially the fingernails are liable to contact with and break the contiguous ends of ad- SIJIIIBI' maintained in their originalclosed position, even. though they be carefully pressed back to again overlie the adjacent ends of the cigarettes as these folds will always have a tendency to again fly open, thus exposing the cigarettes and in many instances allowing the latter to fall or escape from the pouch, especially when the latter is kept in a persons pocket. Furthermore, such an open package will expose the cigarettes to deterioration due to atmospheric influences, in addition to causing the package, under constant handling to break down and lose all semblance of its original form.

With my invention, however-,these various disadvantages incident to the ordinary pouch package are avoided, as l provide a. package whlch remains permanently closed and sealed with the exception of a small opening intended to be made by the conor the removal or escape of the i'ndivldual cigarettes, as hereinafter described.

Furthermore, my cigarette package is so constructed that, being maintained permanently and completely sealed with the exception of the above mentioned relatively small opening, it will always present a neat, pouch-like shape and at the same time will efliciently protect the cigarettes from deterioration under atmospheric influences and 'will prevent such cigarettes becoming disarranged and from escaping or spilling from the pouch.

Another feature of advantage, of my package is thatwhile the small opening for the escape of the contents may be instantly and conveniently made by the consumer yet in the manufacture of the package itself and in the quantity, form and character of the material employed no radical departure in manufacturing operation nor increased expense need be incurred in comparison with the production. 7

, When the escape opening has been formed in the package the latter may be manipulated and operated according to a novel method devised by me so as to project the cigarettes through such opening, one or two at a time and into such position that the top ends of the projected cigarettes may be easily and conveniently grasped to completely lift or remove the latter from the pounch without the fingers contacting with or touching those cigarettes remaining in the package. This is an important advantage inasmuch as I obviate entirely the liability of breaking or tearing the ad acent ends of contiguous cigarettes which remain in the pouch and avoid the annoyance and delay commonly encountered in removing the cigarettes.

I have also found from actual experience extending over a considerable period of time that my unique method of removing the cigarettes from the pouch is a Valuable factor from an advertising standpoint, for the facility and rapidy-with which the cigarettes may be ejected from the pouch, and the malntenance of sanitary conditions by the avoidance of contact of the fingers with those cigarettes remaining in the package, as well as the novelty and attractiveness of the manner in which cigarettes 'may be caused to be partially projected from the package, by a simple snap of the wrist or hand,'into position to be grasped, all tend to interest and attract purchasers and consum ers so that after demonstration of the method by one skilled in the practice thereof these purchasers and consumers will invariably employ such method and will purchase those packages which are so formed or constructed as to enable it to be carried into effect. 1

With the above recited objects and others of a similar nature in view, my invention consists in the improved cigarette package and in the method set forth in and falling Within the scope ofthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the wrapper sheet or blank of my improved package and showing the location of the weakened section thereof.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the package after the application and fold ing of the wrapper sheet.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the complete package and showing the formation of the escape opening therein by the removal of the weakened section of the folded wrapper sheet.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrative of the manner in which the package may be held preparatory to projecting the cigarettes therefrom by my improved method.

Fig. 5 is a similar view illustrating the v position of the package and the cigarettes at the completion ofthe movement of projecting the cigarettes through the escape opening of the package.

Referring now to the accompanying drawingsin detail, the letter A designates the Wrapper sheet which as usual is in the nature of a rectangular composite blank composed of flexible, pliable, readily tearable materials, such as tinfoil and paper. At one longitudinal edge, or that edge Which is to be folded to close the mouth of the package, this wrapper is perforated, scored or otherrettes, it is only weakened rectangular section of the wrapper wise marked to. form a small, rectangular weakened section 1 which may be easily an readily torn away to form the escape opening 2 in the top of the package when the wrapper is used to envelop the cigarettes, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. In the folding of the wrapper sheet A to close the mouth of the package the end folds 3 and 4 are made by folding the wrapper inward over the top ends of the cigarettes, then the side fold 5 is made by lapping the wrap er inward over the end folds, and fina ly the other or opposite side fold 6 is lapped or folded inward over the side fold 5 so that the mouth of the package is completely closed. This is the usual manner of folding the wrapper sheet to close pouch packages of this type, that is tosay, the wrapper sheet is so folded or interfolded that the two side folds will overlap the two end folds, and one side fold will overlap the other. When my wraplper sheet has been folded in this manner t e score or perforated lines forming the weakened section 1 of the wrapper will extend along one end edge of the top of the package, substantially co-extensive with such edge, thence along the two side edges of the top of the package but only for a portion of the length of such side edges, the inner terminals of these parallel side edge scorings or perforated lines being connected by transverse scored or erforated line running entirely across the top of the package, so that the result is that when the wrapper is completely folded a rectangular section of lessarea than the top of the ackage, but of substantially the same wid th as the latter will be marked out in such top by the perforated lines. Therefore, when the consumer desires to have access to the ci anecessary to tear away t is to form the escape opening 2 in the top of the package adjacent one end thereof, the end edge of the top forming the base line of the opening when the package is tilted as shown in Fig. 5 to remove the cigarettes.

In the manufacture of the package, or the preparation of the same for the market the revenue stamp S may be pasted across the top so as to overlie the inner transverse score or perforated line of the weakened section and so as to hold down or seal the folds of the wrapper thereby maintaining the top completely closed and air-tight. The cigarettes enveloped in the wrapper ust described are placed in the usual paper cup C, and one end of the stamp may be pasted to this cup and the opposite end of the stamp to the wrapper, or the stamp may be made to extend across the top of the package with opposite ends of the stamp secured to opposite sides of the cup. Of course when the stamp is pasted to seal the top of the package as shown in' the drawing, the act of the A the stamp to be ruptured and destroyed,-

harmed consumer in tearing away the weakened section to form the escape opening will cause thus compl ing with the law as to the destruction revenue stamps.

After the escape opening has been formed in the package the cigarettes may be readily and conveniently removed by resorting to my method which will be best understood may be grasped by reference to Fi s4 and 5. The package etween the thumb and forefinger at a point preferably a shortdistance below the transverse median line of the package and a slight pressure exertedto somewhat bend or bow the adjacent end wall of the package. Then with the escape opening uppermost, one cigarette having been previously removed from the pack to loosenthe latter, the person may swing or snap the wrist andhand sharply outward through an arc which will of course tiltthe package, this sharp, swift outward move ment tendin to cause the cigarette, or per haps two 0 the cigarettes exposed at the opening to slide or be. projected therethrough, and were this swinging movement continued, the tendency would be for the cigarette or cigarettes to fly out of the pack age. However, before this can occur the operator abruptly checks or stops the movement of the hand and wrist thus bringing the package to a stop and at this instant may slightly increase the pressure exerted by the thumb and finger against the opposite side edges of the package. ward movement 'of the cigarettes or cigarette to instantly cease and they will beheld in projected position as shown in Fig. 5, and may be then readily and conveniently grasped and lifted out of the package. Of

course the remaining cigarettes in the package will be confined or held against escape by the remaining sealed portion of the package top, these remaining cigarettes as well as the adjacent wall p rtions of the package forming guides for irecting the escaping cigarettes through the escape opening. With a little practice aperson may readily project one or two'ci arettes, or even more, depending upon the size of the escape opening, through the opening at will, and to the desired degree.

While I have herein shown and described a particular embodiment of myvinvention, ll

wish it to be understood that l do not con-' fine myself to all the precise details herein set forth as modification and variation may be made without departing from thefspirit,

of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims. a

What I claim is:

1. A wra ped package containing cigarettes, inclu mg a flexible, pliable wrappersheet wrapped to inclose the contents of the package, said sheet having a continuous the said tearing section. 2. A wra ped package containing ciga- This will cause the out-.

unbroken edge provided with creased and overlapping interfolds constituting a closure for one end of the package, certain of the creased and overlapping .interfolded per .tions of the wrapper sheet being weakened on "a line extending transversely thereof and of the endof the package to providea tear 9 ing section adapted tobe torn away to form an opening of less dimensions than the area .of the closed end of the package, 'but large enough to expose a for the escape thereo of the wall of the opening being co-extensive with and formed by the adjacent end edge of the package, and means for retaining plurality of cigarettes -the remaining creased and overlapping interfolded portions intact after removal of rettes inclu mg a flexible, pliable wrapper sheet wrapped to inclose the contents of the package, said sheet having a continuous unbroken edge provided with creased and a substantial portionoverlapping interfolds to constitute a 010- sure for one end of. the package, certain of the said overlapping interfolded portions being weakened on a line extending transversely thereof. and of the end of the package to provide a tearing section adapted to be torn away to form an opening of less di-' mensions than the area of the closed end for the escape of-the contents of the package,

and a seal overlying the, creased and overlapping interfolds as such end of the packof the closed end in which such openingis made, but large enough to expose the ends of a plurality 0 tion of the wall of the opening being coextensive with and formed by the adjacent.

end of the package, and means for niaintaining the remaining folded portions intact after the opening has been formed.

i. A wrap ed package. containing cigarettes, including a flexible, pliable wrapper cigarettes, a substantial porsheet wrapped to inclose thecontents of the package, said sheet having a continuous unbroken edge provided with an irregular weakened line defining atearable section of less area than the end of the package, the.

edge of said sheet having the weakened line being provided with creased and over-lap ping interfolds to constitutea-clos rfi 917 one end of the package, the construction and the area of an end of the-package, but suf- 10 arrangement being such that when the sheet ficiently large to expose the ends of a pluis folded in package form, the weakened line rality of the cigarettes therein, and means will coincide with a substantial portion of for maintaining the remaining creased and the marginal'edge of the package and extend interfolded portions in closed relation after transverselfi across opposite interfolded porthe said tearing section has been removed. 15 tions to permit ready removal of the section In testimony whereof I have hereunto set bounded by the said weakened line and thus my hand.

provide an opening of less dimensions than HENRY J. PIN N EY. 

